Anointing of the Sick and Communion Calls

Please notify the rectory office at (520) 432-5753 when there is a serious illness in your family. The pastoral staff and ministers of the Eucharist visit the sick in their homes, in hospitals and convalescent homes regularly and parishioners will offer their prayers.

When it comes to the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick there are still Catholics who wait until the "eleventh hour" before calling the priest. There is no need to wait this long to ask for the anointing of the sick. Furthermore, given the shortage of priests, waiting until the "last minute" may actually result in no anointing occurring. For those who have a chronic condition, or those with a terminal illness, it makes sense to plan a celebration when family and loved ones can be present. Furthermore, given the shortage of priests and many demands on a priest's time, it is hard to imagine how, in the case of a long term sickness, such an eleventh hour call can be considered an emergency! Instances of sudden, unexpected illness, such as heart attack, seizures, or stroke are a different matter. These are real emergencies and there is no way of preparing for them.